


the month was june

by dldld



Series: pynch week 2019 [2]
Category: Raven Cycle - Maggie Stiefvater
Genre: Alternate Universe - Lifeguards, Alternate Universe - Non-Magical, M/M, Pynch Week 2019, and so is Adam, lifeguard!adam, ronan is a disaster gay
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-10-03
Updated: 2019-10-03
Packaged: 2020-11-22 22:14:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,320
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20881520
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dldld/pseuds/dldld
Summary: Ronan believed in a merciful god. But it was hard to remember that when Adam Parrish is sitting half-naked on the lifeguard post, absolutely showing no mercy towards Ronan's poor heart.Written for Pynch Week 2019 Day 4: Meet Cute / Missed Connection





	the month was june

**Author's Note:**

> I've started this au long before I saw the Pynch Week prompts. I worked on it though because of Pynch Week but I don't know calendars and timing and general responsibility upkeep so this is late. Still written for Pynch Week but not posted during it. *sigh* I'm tired of being me.

Ronan did not plan to spend his summer babysitting Opal as decreed by Declan, fuck, he doesn't even think he should be allowed to babysit and be responsible for someone else. But Declan was in DC doing an internship, and Matthew was away in summer camp.

"You're the only parental figure she has right now. Don't fuck up," Declan had told him over the phone.

"Fuck off, Declan. I know how to drive and to wait an hour. Stop calling me," Ronan demands.

"Don't be late. Let me talk to Opal," requests Declan.

Ronan yells for Opal, who trudges from her room and by the top of the staircase looking annoyed. "Declan wants to talk to you, come here," Ronan huffs, pushing the phone towards Opal. Ronan doesn't understand Opal's immense love for Declan; he's boring as fuck. But Opal rushes down the stairs and gets the phone from Ronan, excitedly talking to Declan about her upcoming swimming lessons.

Ronan figures they don't need him in whatever boring talk they're having so he leaves to feed the cows.

***

The next day, Ronan is forcefully woken up by Opal for her swimming lessons. The Henrietta Community Pool offers early morning swimming lessons before the official pool hours. He'd rather do farm work than see people in the morning or any time of the day, but he can't deny a kid who's adorably excited as Opal is. Most of Opal's school friends are also enrolled in swimming lessons this summer, apparently a tradition for incoming fourth-graders. He tried to persuade Opal not to enroll, figuring she'd prefer for him to teach her in the pond they have in The Barns rather than swim in the chlorine-infested (and surely, pee-infested) community pool. She wouldn't budge, saying she was looking forward to hanging out with her friends during the summer. Which he can't fathom because summer breaks were called breaks for a reason. A break from school, from teachers, from lessons, from classmates. She just raised her eyebrows at him as if asking him if he's done so he quit it. Today, he mock-grumbles as he sits up on his bed. He figures no one would care if he comes in his pajamas so that's what he does.

The ride to town was uneventful and Ronan thought for sure that today would be the first of all the uneventful days of this summer.

He was wrong.

He arrives at the Henrietta Community Pool with Opal in tow, who immediately walks towards her friends to talk about _godknowswhat_, as if they weren't just talking yesterday. He looks around for an unoccupied lounge chair, thinking he could take a nap, when his eyes catch something, _someone_, and he curses to high heavens.

Ronan wishes he bothered to wear his sunglasses so he wasn't all too obvious as he ogles the guy's body. Topless with only a whistle hanging by his sternum and some red shorts he's sure he'll be dreaming about. Lines and angles and planes. Lean, muscular body. Sepia tan with dusty hair and blue eyes and cheekbones so sharp. The pool lifeguard was going to take Ronan to hell.

Ronan finds a seat before the lifeguard sees him standing slack-jawed by the poolside. He watches the sexiest man alive bring out paddle boards and place them by the pool's edge. Calling the lifeguard a man was probably too much, he's around Ronan's age but he can't believe this is the first time he's seeing the guy. How can that be when Henrietta feels so small? More kids are arriving and the lounge chairs are filling up with moms and dads. Opal and her friends finally get out of the showers and they approach the lifeguard, probably asking him about their swimming lessons. The lifeguard faces them and gives a small smile and even from a distance, Ronan is attacked by that smile.

As if the lifeguard being on display wasn't enough, the lifeguard ends up being the swimming instructor. Ronan was already practically heaving with the lifeguard being topless but a wet and topless lifeguard could just be the cause of his death.

It takes a couple of stares before he realizes that the moms and dads look annoyed by his presence. Ronan looks down and realizes he came to the pool in his pajamas and now he just wants the earth to swallow him whole. How could he let the hot lifeguard see him in his pajamas? Ronan groans and lies down, putting his hands in front of his face. It would be time wasted as he's preventing himself from taking more looks at the lifeguard but he doesn't feel like showing his face anymore.

Ronan ends up napping and Opal wakes him up already dressed. The lifeguard was nowhere to be seen so Ronan trudges back to his car while Opal says goodbye to her friends.

***

When Opal comes inside Ronan's room to wake him up the next day, Ronan's already dressed in his black tank top and black distressed jeans. It's not a pool outfit but at least he's not in pajamas anymore.

Opal raises an eyebrow at him and asks, "Are you dressing up for Adam?"

_Adam_. So the hot lifeguard's name was Adam. Ronan sputters at the direct question but he shouldn't have been surprised by her sister at this point. He tries to deny it nonchalantly. "The fuck are you on about? Who's Adam?"

"Adam's my swimming instructor. The lifeguard? Let's go since you're ready. I want to talk to Adam before the lesson starts." Opal thankfully drops the teasing so Ronan could believe he convinced Opal that him dressing up was nothing.

***

Ronan should have figured that Opal wasn't done yet. Upon arrival to the pool, Opal immediately guns for Adam.

"Adam! I'm here early and so are you," Opal's excitement could be heard from outer space.

"Hi, Opal. Of course I'm here early, I have to be ready for you and your friends," Adam kindly answers Opal, stopping whatever he was doing to focus on her.

"By the way, Adam, this is my brother Ronan. He likes you."

At this point, both Adam and Ronan's eyes grow big as saucers while avoiding eye contact.

"Let's go home, Opal," Ronan glares at her sister.

"But I still have a lesson!" Opal whines.

"Not now you don't." Ronan doesn't dare look at Adam as he walks out of the Henrietta Community Pool.

"I'm not leaving! Come back for me in an hour!" Opal yells towards Ronan's retreating back.

Ronan exits out of the pool, all red from embarrassment. He can't believe how her sister just dropped the bomb on an unassuming Adam. Heck, Adam might not even be interested in men and now he feels awkward as fuck and harassed and shit. Ronan internally panics and slams the door on his BMW. He finally lets a breath out and realizes that he just left his sister with no guardian because he was a disaster gay. He figures Adam is a lifeguard so Opal is safe and that's when he starts his car and decides to just cruise around Henrietta for an hour before he picks up Opal.

Ronan gets back in an hour and dutifully goes inside the pool area. Thankfully, the lesson is over and Opal and her friends are already in the shower and locker room.

Which leaves him awkwardly standing there.

Adam was perched on his lifeguard station, all tanned and glistening skin. Ronan tries very hard not to stare but something so beautiful should be admired. He whispers a prayer to God.

_ Please. _

Thankfully, Opal emerges from the locker room a few minutes later so he stands next to her and drags her towards his car. Opal just can't let him live and so she shouts, "Bye, Adam! See you tomorrow!"

Ronan is fucked. A whole summer of this is going to be torture.

**Author's Note:**

> Next chapter: Adam's POV
> 
> Title from "Lonely" by Demi Lovato. The song doesn't fit the fic but god I don't know how to title.


End file.
